VS National Training 

and Exercise Program 

Resource Guide

May 4, 2022

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RESOURCE GUIDE

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Table of Contents

Purpose............................................................................................................................................ 1

VS NTEP Co-Leads........................................................................................................................ 1

Available VS NTEP Exercise Materials......................................................................................... 1

Exercise Support Materials......................................................................................................... 1

State-VS Incident Command and Resource Management Tabletop Exercise............................ 2

Requesting a VS Incident Management Team and Transfer of Command Tabletop Exercise .. 2

Unified Command Tabletop Exercise......................................................................................... 3

State-based Movement Standstill Planning Workshop and Tabletop Exercise .......................... 3

State-based Movement Standstill Planning Workshop........................................................... 3

State-based Movement Standstill Tabletop Exercise.............................................................. 3

Secure Food Supply Permitting Workshop and Tabletop Exercises.......................................... 4

Movement Permitting Workshop............................................................................................ 4

Secure Milk Supply Tabletop Exercise................................................................................... 4

Secure Pork Supply Tabletop Exercise................................................................................... 5

Secure Beef Supply Tabletop Exercise................................................................................... 5

Vaccination Plan Development Workshops and Tabletop Exercise........................................... 5

Emergency Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine Strategy Workshop ........................................ 5

Vaccination Plan Development Workshop............................................................................. 6

Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine Field Deployment Tabletop Exercise ............................... 6

Agriculture Resource Management and Response (ARMAR) Tabletop Exercise ..................... 7

African Swine Fever Producer-level Planning Exercise and Tabletop Exercise........................ 7

African Swine Fever Producer-level Planning Exercise......................................................... 7

African Swine Fever Producer-level Tabletop Exercise......................................................... 7

African Swine Fever Packer-level Tabletop Exercise ................................................................ 8

Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostician Drills (on-site and virtual)............................................ 8

Emergency Management Response System (EMRS) Drills....................................................... 9

Screwworm Tabletop Exercise ................................................................................................. 10

Backyard Poultry Depopulation Drill ....................................................................................... 10

Poultry Foam Depopulation Drill ............................................................................................. 10

Case Manager, Site Manager, and Field Reimbursement Specialist Response Skills Drill ..... 11

Heartwater Tabletop Exercise................................................................................................... 11
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Complexity Analysis Tool Workshop and Game ..................................................................... 11

Complexity Analysis Workshop........................................................................................... 11

Complexity Analysis Game .................................................................................................. 12

Webinars....................................................................................................................................... 13

Federal Resources......................................................................................................................... 13

State, Academic, and Trade Association Resources..................................................................... 21
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Purpose

This Veterinary Services (VS) National Training and Exercise Program (NTEP) Resource Guide 

is designed to support VS and external emergency response partners in identifying helpful 

resources for animal health-related response preparedness. This guide is intended to provide the 

user with a list of available VS NTEP preparedness materials for stakeholder use. It also 

provides links and contact information for useful federal, state, academia, and trade resources.

VS NTEP Co-Leads

Dr. Barbara Porter-Spalding, DVM

Veterinary Medical Officer

USDA APHIS Veterinary Services

Barbara.A.Porter-Spalding@usda.gov

Ms. Liz Fernandez

Laboratory Training Specialist

USDA APHIS Veterinary Services

Elizabeth.D.Fernandez@usda.gov

Available VS NTEP Exercise Materials

Exercises developed by the VS NTEP are available for stakeholder use. Exercise materials are 

generic, allowing stakeholders to modify documents with little effort in order to conduct an 

exercise in their state or VS District. Each generic exercise package comes complete with all the 

materials needed to conduct the exercise. In the case of exercise materials developed as part of 

the Emergency Coordinator-Driven Drill Initiative, exercise materials have not been made 

generic and are sample materials used in the exercise. 

To request exercise materials, please contact Mr. Bryan Deimeke, 

bdeimeke@ses-corp.com. 

Exercise Support Materials

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection

Service’s (APHIS) VS NTEP has adopted the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation 

Program (HSEEP) to guide the development, conduct, and evaluation of all VS exercises. The 

purpose of the APHIS VS HSEEP Guidance document is to provide a general overview of the 

HSEEP process, associated documents, and milestones. This overview is designed to provide VS 

personnel a quick reference for guiding the consideration and development of VS exercises. The 

information presented in this document was adapted from current HSEEP guidance. The VS 

NTEP has developed additional planning materials to assist in the development of exercises.

Available materials include:

▪ APHIS VS HSEEP Guidance

▪ VS NTEP Workshop Planner
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▪ VS NTEP Drill Planner

▪ VS NTEP Functional Exercise Planner

▪ VS NTEP Full-Scale Exercise Planner

▪ VS NTEP Exercise Evaluation Guide Template

▪ VS NTEP Exercise After-Action Report Template

State-VS Incident Command and Resource Management Tabletop 

Exercise 

Exercise Length: One day

Exercise play will focus on a response to a foreign animal disease (FAD) outbreak and the 

associated resource management and Incident Command issues that would be created. 

Included in this exercise package are: 

▪ Generic Situation Manual 

▪ Generic Facilitator Guide 

▪ Generic Staff Handbook 

▪ Generic Exercise Staff Orientation Presentation 

▪ Generic Exercise Presentation 

▪ Generic Sign-in Sheet 

▪ Generic Exercise Evaluation Guides 

▪ Generic Participant Feedback Form

Requesting a VS Incident Management Team and Transfer of 

Command Tabletop Exercise

Exercise Length: Four hours

This exercise targets both states and VS districts. Players will be divided into two functional 

groups: state and federal. Exercise play will occur in two modules; one focusing on the 

mechanics of requesting all or part of a VS Incident Management Team in response to a FAD 

outbreak, and one focusing on the subsequent transfer of command and Incident Command staff 

transition associated with various stages of a response.

Included in this exercise package are:

▪ Generic Situation Manual 

▪ Generic Facilitator Guide 

▪ Generic Staff Handbook 

▪ Generic Staff Orientation Presentation 

▪ Generic Sign-in Sheet 

▪ Generic Exercise Evaluation Guides 

▪ Generic Participant Feedback Form
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Unified Command Tabletop Exercise

Exercise Length: Four hours

Exercise play will engage a single functional group that includes both state and federal 

representatives. Exercise play occurs in a single module, “Establishing a Unified Command.” 

This module consists of four distinct scenarios, each presenting an increasingly more complex 

response, presenting more complex Incident Command and staffing issues. The scenarios 

address a response to a FAD outbreak. 

Included in this exercise package are: 

▪ Generic Situation Manual 

▪ Generic Facilitator Guide 

▪ Generic Staff Handbook 

▪ Generic Sign-in Sheet 

▪ Generic Exercise Evaluation Guides 

▪ Generic Participant Feedback Form

State-based Movement Standstill Planning Workshop and Tabletop 

Exercise

State-based Movement Standstill Planning Workshop

Exercise Length: Four hours

The workshop is designed to develop or refine the state’s plan for implementation of an 

agriculture movement standstill. The workshop is designed to engage stakeholders in the 

planning process and to identify actions and resources needed to implement a temporary 

standstill. The need to implement an agriculture movement standstill may be the result of a 

request from USDA or it may be based on an internal risk assessment conducted by the state 

animal health official. By participating in this workshop, the state will be able to draft a 

standstill plan or validate its existing plan and/or identify areas for improvement and planning 

gaps.

Included in this exercise package are: 

▪ Generic Standstill Workshop Facilitator Guide

▪ Generic State Movement Standstill Plan Guide

▪ Generic Standstill Workshop Presentation

▪ Generic Standstill Workshop Sign-in Sheet

▪ Generic Standstill Workshop Feedback Form

State-based Movement Standstill Tabletop Exercise

Exercise Length: One day

This discussion-based exercise deals with an outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in 

livestock. The exercise is designed to challenge a state’s existing plan for implementing an 

agriculture movement standstill order, in response to either a USDA request or an internal 

assessment of threat. 
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Included in this exercise package are: 

▪ Generic Standstill Tabletop Exercise Situation Manual

▪ Generic Standstill Tabletop Exercise Facilitator Guide

▪ Generic Standstill Tabletop Exercise Presentation

▪ Generic Standstill Tabletop Exercise Evaluation Guides

▪ Generic Standstill Tabletop Exercise Feedback Form

Secure Food Supply Permitting Workshop and Tabletop Exercises

Movement Permitting Workshop

Exercise Length: Four hours

The workshop is designed to develop or refine the state’s plan for implementation of an

emergency movement permitting system, engaging stakeholders in the planning process and 

identifying the actions and resources needed to implement a temporary movement permitting 

system. By participating in this workshop, the state will be able to draft an emergency 

movement permit plan or validate its existing plan and/or identify planning gaps and areas for 

improvement.

Included in this exercise package are: 

▪ Generic Permit Workshop Facilitator Guide

▪ Generic Permitting Plan Guide

▪ Generic Permit Workshop Presentation

▪ Generic Permit Workshop Feedback Form

Secure Milk Supply Tabletop Exercise

Exercise Length: One day

The exercise is designed to test the state’s plan for implementation of the SMS process, both preoutbreak and during an outbreak. The exercise is designed to drive play to include pre-event 

dairy industry engagement and planning, and outbreak-related movement permitting, stateindustry coordination, and coordination with destination states to accept movement permits. By 

participating in this exercise, the state will be able to validate its existing plan and/or identify 

areas for improvement and planning gaps.

Included in this exercise package are: 

▪ Generic Secure Milk Supply Tabletop Exercise Situation Manual

▪ Generic Secure Milk Supply Exercise Facilitator Guide

▪ Generic Secure Milk Supply Exercise Presentation

▪ Generic Secure Milk Supply Tabletop Exercise Evaluation Guides

▪ Generic Secure Milk Supply Tabletop Exercise Sign-in Sheet

▪ Generic Secure Milk Supply Tabletop Exercise Feedback Form
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Secure Pork Supply Tabletop Exercise

Exercise Length: One day

The exercise is designed to test the state’s readiness for implementation of its SPS plan, both preoutbreak and during an outbreak of a foreign animal disease (FAD). The exercise is designed to 

drive play to include pre-event pork industry engagement and planning, and outbreak-related 

movement permitting, state-industry coordination, and coordination with destination states to 

accept movement permits. By participating in this exercise, the state will be able to validate its 

existing plan and/or identify areas for improvement and planning gaps.

Included in this exercise package are: 

▪ Generic Secure Pork Supply Tabletop Exercise Situation Manual

▪ Generic Secure Pork Supply Exercise Facilitator Guide

▪ Generic Secure Pork Supply Exercise Presentation

▪ Generic Secure Pork Supply Tabletop Exercise Evaluation Guides

▪ Generic Secure Pork Supply Tabletop Exercise Sign-in Sheet

▪ Generic Secure Pork Supply Tabletop Exercise Feedback Form

Secure Beef Supply Tabletop Exercise

Exercise Length: One day

The exercise is designed to test the state’s readiness for implementation of its SBS plan, both 

pre-outbreak and during an outbreak of a foreign animal disease (FAD). The exercise is 

designed to drive play to include pre-event cattle industry engagement and planning, and 

outbreak-related movement permitting, state-industry coordination, and coordination with 

destination states. By participating in this exercise, a state will validate its existing plan and 

identify areas for improvement and planning gaps.

Included in this exercise package are: 

▪ Generic Secure Beef Supply Tabletop Exercise Situation Manual

▪ Generic Secure Beef Supply Exercise Facilitator Guide

▪ Generic Secure Beef Supply Exercise Presentation

▪ Generic Secure Beef Supply Tabletop Exercise Evaluation Forms

Foot and Mouth DiseaseVaccination Plan Development Workshops 

and Tabletop Exercise

Emergency Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine Strategy Workshop

Exercise Length: Three hours

Workshop conduct is designed for a three-hour period. Exercise play is limited to the 

interactions between federal and state jurisdictions, industry, and other stakeholders participating 

in the workshop. Players will interact as a single policy group for this exercise. 

The workshop is designed to test the state’s triggers for implementing emergency vaccination 

and its development of a vaccination strategy.
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Included in this exercise package are:

▪ Executive-level Vaccine Strategy Policy Workshop Facilitator Guide

▪ Executive-level Vaccine Strategy Policy Workshop Situation Manual

▪ Executive-level Vaccine Strategy Policy Workshop Presentation

Emergency Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccination Plan Development 

Workshop

Exercise Length: One day

This workshop is designed to provide an opportunity for a state and its supporting entities to 

discuss all aspects of FMD vaccination, ranging from formulating the initial request to 

administration into the animal. The product of this workshop is either the revision of an existing 

vaccination plan or the creation of such a plan.

A general FMD outbreak scenario is provided to set the stage for planning-level discussions in a 

sequential order starting with the initial outbreak and progressing to vaccine request, vaccine 

administration into susceptible animals, identification and tracking of vaccinates, disposition of 

supplies, and instructions to the producer. Since the discussions are intended to drive plan 

development, they will address both policy-level and procedural issues applicable to each stage 

of the workshop.

Included in this exercise package are: 

▪ Generic State Vaccination Plan Workshop Facilitator Guide

▪ Generic State Vaccination Plan Template

▪ Generic State Vaccination Plan Workshop Presentation

▪ Generic State Vaccination Plan Workshop Sign-in Sheet

▪ Generic State Vaccination Plan Workshop Feedback Form

Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine Field Deployment Tabletop Exercise

Exercise Length: One day

The exercise is designed to test the state’s plan for implementing an emergency FMD 

vaccination process during an FMD outbreak. By participating in this exercise, the state will be 

able to validate its existing plan and identify areas for improvement and planning gaps.

Included in this exercise package are: 

▪ Generic Vaccination Tabletop Exercise Situation Manual

▪ Generic Vaccination Tabletop Exercise Facilitator Guide

▪ Generic Vaccination Tabletop Exercise Presentation

▪ Generic Vaccination Tabletop Exercise Evaluation Guides
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Agriculture Resource Management and Response (ARMAR) Tabletop 

Exercise

Exercise Length: One day

This exercise is designed to introduce an escalating outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the 

United States. The exercise is designed to drive play to include resource management and 

Incident Command at the county, state, and federal levels. 

This tabletop exercise could engage just the state lead agency, or could include state supporting 

agencies, local jurisdictions, and affected industries. 

Included in this exercise package are: 

▪ Generic ARMAR Tabletop Exercise Situation Manual

▪ Generic ARMAR Tabletop Exercise Facilitator Guide

▪ Generic ARMAR Tabletop Exercise Presentation

African Swine Fever Producer-level Planning Exerc ise and Tabletop 

Exercise

African Swine Fever Producer-level Planning Exercise

Exercise Length: Four hours

This exercise is designed to allow State Departments of Agriculture, Boards of Animal Health, 

the Veterinary Services, and industry stakeholders to assess the applicability of existing foreign 

animal disease response plans, relative to mitigation and response activities associated with an 

African Swine Fever outbreak. Through the course of this exercise, mitigation and response 

planning gaps and plan areas needing revision will be identified. 

This play may engage the state lead agency, state supporting agencies, local jurisdictions, federal 

agencies, and affected industries. 

There is no formal evaluation of this exercise; however, the exercise will result in the review and 

updating of existing foreign animal disease response plans. This plan review and revision will 

constitute the “deliverable” or After-action Report for this exercise. 

Included in this exercise package are: 

▪ Generic African Swine Fever Planning Exercise Agenda 

▪ Generic African Swine Fever Planning Exercise Situation Manual 

▪ Generic African Swine Fever Planning Exercise Facilitator Guide 

▪ Generic African Swine Fever Planning Exercise Presentation 

▪ Generic African Swine Fever Planning Exercise Sign-in Sheet

African Swine Fever Producer-level Tabletop Exercise

Exercise Length: One day

This exercise is designed to allow State Departments of Agriculture, Boards of Animal Health, 

VS, and industry stakeholders to validate existing foreign animal disease response plans, relative 
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to mitigation and response activities associated with an African Swine Fever outbreak. Through 

the course of this exercise, mitigation and response gaps and areas needing revision will be 

identified. This will allow the foreign animal disease plans to be revised. 

This play should engage the state lead agency for a FAD response, state supporting agencies, 

local jurisdictions, federal agencies, and affected industries. 

Included in this exercise package are: 

▪ Generic African Swine Fever Tabletop Exercise Situation Manual 

▪ Generic African Swine Fever Tabletop Exercise Facilitator Guide 

▪ Generic African Swine Fever Tabletop Exercise Presentation 

▪ Generic African Swine Fever Tabletop Exercise Sign-in Sheet 

▪ Generic African Swine Fever Tabletop Exercise Evaluation Guides 

▪ Generic African Swine Fever Tabletop Exercise Participant Feedback Form

African Swine Fever Packer-level Tabletop Exercise

Exercise Length: One day

The exercise is designed to test both a state’s and a meat harvest facility’s plan for responding to 

an outbreak of ASF. By participating in this exercise, these two stakeholders will be able to 

validate existing plans and identify areas for improvement and planning gaps.

Included in this exercise package are: 

▪ Generic African Swine Fever Packer Tabletop Exercise Situation Manual 

▪ Generic African Swine Fever Packer Tabletop Exercise Facilitator Guide 

▪ Generic African Swine Fever Packer Tabletop Exercise Presentation 

▪ Draft African Swine Fever Response Chronology and State Checklist

▪ Generic African Swine Fever Packer Tabletop Exercise Evaluation Guides 

Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostician Drills (on -site and virtual)

Exercise Length: Four hours

There are multiple options for the drills in this series: 

▪ Bovine (feedlot, cow-calf, or dairy)

▪ Swine (general, sow farm, nursery, or finisher)

▪ Small ruminant

▪ Livestock market

▪ Livestock market shadowing activity

▪ Fairs and Expositions

▪ Equine 

Each of these options can be implemented as an on-site drill, and any of the drills can be adapted 

for virtual play, if requested. The virtual drill is based on mock data and involves a simulated 

investigation conducted over the BlueJeans video conferencing platform. The on-site drill 

involves an actual field investigation, animal handling, and sampling, and it is supplemented 

with mock data. For the on-site drill option, a foreign animal disease diagnostician will be 
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assigned a host producer/owner. The host will have agreed to interact with the foreign animal 

disease diagnostician and allow site access, animal handling, and sample collection. 

Each drill type – virtual and on-site – is composed of three Modules. Module 1 is the field 

investigation. Module 2 involves sampling (collection/documentation/packaging). Module 3 

deals with Emergency Management Response System data input. Participants should be able to 

complete the three Modules in a single workday. 

The drill is intended to be conducted by an individual foreign animal disease diagnostician. 

There will be no on-scene Facilitator or Evaluator. Exercise Evaluation will be conducted by a 

second or third party, through the examination of investigation notes, sample documentation and 

packaging, and Emergency Management Response System data. In addition, the producer will 

complete a feedback survey evaluating aspects of their interactions with the foreign animal 

disease diagnostician. Upon completion of these reviews, the Evaluator(s) will provide the 

foreign animal disease diagnostician either written or oral feedback. 

To participate in one of these drill types, a foreign animal disease diagnostician must complete 

the VS National Training and Exercise Program application form and have it approved by their 

supervisor. The completed form should be forwarded to the VS National Training and Exercise 

Program for review and identification of a host producer and associated drill Evaluators.

Emergency Management Response System (EMRS) Drills

Exercise Length: Variable times

The Emergency Management Response System (EMRS) drill materials are designed to allow the 

user to independently practice using EMRS. To use the EMRS drill materials, you must have an 

active user account in EMRS. Microsoft Internet Explorer is the recommended browser. 

Available EMRS Drills include:

▪ Routine Property and Fleet 

▪ Situation Report and Pivot Tables 

▪ Basic Mapping 

▪ Views and Charts – Inspection Tasks

▪ EMRS2Go – 214 Daily Log Entry

▪ EMRS2Go – Foreign Animal Disease Investigation Entry

▪ 213RR Personnel and Supplies

▪ EMRS Permit Request and Permitting

To access drill materials, login to EMRS: https://emrs2.aphis.usda.gov; drill materials are located 

in EMRS2 Home > Training Materials > EMRS Drills. 

If you have questions as you complete a drill, contact an EMRS Network Associate for 

assistance. Contact information for EMRS Network Associates can be found on the Home Page 

of EMRS, and on the APHIS website: 

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/emergencymanagement/sa_emrs/ct_em

rs.
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Screwworm Tabletop Exercise

Exercise Length: One day

This exercise is designed to test a state’s plan for mitigating and responding to a New World 

Screwworm infestation. The exercise is designed to drive play addressing key areas of a state’s 

response to an infestation of NWS. The exercise play will engage key stakeholders in the 

response, including regulatory agencies, industry stakeholders, and diagnostic laboratories. By 

participating in this exercise, a state will be able to validate its existing plan and/or identify areas 

for improvement and planning gaps. 

Included in this exercise package are: 

▪ Generic Screwworm Tabletop Exercise Situation Manual 

▪ Generic Screwworm Tabletop Exercise Facilitator Guide 

▪ Generic Screwworm Tabletop Exercise Facilitator Slides 

▪ Generic Screwworm Tabletop Exercise Sign-in Sheet 

▪ Generic Screwworm Tabletop Exercise Evaluation Guides 

▪ Generic Screwworm Tabletop Exercise Participant Feedback Forms

Backyard Poultry Depopulation Drill

The exercise is designed to respond to a report of HPAI in a backyard poultry flock. The exercise 

is designed to test the setup of a Unified Command, mobilization of resources, methods of 

poultry depopulation, and biosecurity and entry/exit procedures. This exercise was developed as 

part of the Emergency Coordinator-Driven Exercise Initiative. 

This exercise could engage just the state lead agency, or could include state supporting agencies, 

local jurisdictions, and affected industries. 

Included in this exercise package are: 

▪ Sample Backyard Poultry Depopulation Drill Exercise Plan 

▪ Sample Backyard Poultry Depopulation Drill Agenda 

▪ Planning Cycle Presentation 

▪ Sample Backyard Poultry Depopulation Drill Exercise Evaluation Guide 

▪ Sample Backyard Poultry Depopulation Drill After-Action Report

Poultry Foam Depopulation Drill

This drill, designed for three days at a commercial poultry farm, is limited to training National 

Veterinary Stockpile contractors to handle, pen, and foam depopulate infected poultry while 

maintaining appropriate personal and premise biosecurity practices. This exercise was developed 

as part of the Emergency Coordinator-Driven Exercise Initiative. 

Included in this exercise package are: 

▪ Sample Poultry Foam Depopulation Drill Exercise Plan 

▪ Sample Poultry Foam Depopulation Drill Exercise Evaluation Guides 

▪ Sample Poultry Foam Depopulation Drill After-Action Report
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Case Manager, Site Manager, and Field Reimbursement Specialist 

Response Skills Drill

This is a drill with pre-drill training and discussions. Drill play is limited to Case Managers, Site 

Managers, and Field Reimbursement Specialists and trainees. Drill play will occur in a single 

module, “Establishing the initial on-site response to the detection of a highly contagious disease 

in commercial poultry.” This module consists of three distinct yet related sets of expected 

response activities. The Case Manager, Site Manager, and Field Reimbursement Specialist each 

perform their assigned initial response duties while also working together to manage the critical 

initial phase of the response to the scenario’s highly contagious disease outbreak in commercial 

poultry.

Included in this exercise package are: 

▪ Sample Response Skills Drill Agenda

▪ Sample Response Skills Drill Situation Manual

▪ Sample Response Skills Drill Exercise Plan

▪ Sample Response Skills Drill Exercise Evaluation Guides

▪ Sample Response Skills Drill Presentation

▪ Sample Response Skills Drill Sign-in Sheet

Heartwater Tabletop Exercise

Exercise Length: One day

The exercise is designed to introduce an escalating outbreak of Heartwater in the United States. 

The exercise is designed to drive play to include resource management and incident command. It 

was developed as part of the Emergency Coordinator-Driven Exercise Initiative. 

This tabletop exercise could engage just the state lead agency, or could include state supporting 

agencies, local jurisdictions, and affected industries. 

Included in this exercise package are: 

▪ Sample Heartwater Tabletop Exercise Situation Manual 

▪ Sample Heartwater Tabletop Exercise Presentations 

▪ Sample Heartwater Tabletop Exercise Participant Feedback Form 

▪ Sample Heartwater Tabletop Exercise After-Action Report and Improvement Plan

Complexity Analysis Tool Workshop and Game

Complexity Analysis Workshop

Exercise Length: Four hours

The workshop is designed to give participants experience in using the VS NTEP Complexity 

Analysis tool and to determine how changing Complexity Analysis scores would impact various 

aspects of the response, ICS structure, personnel and equipment needs, etc. The exercise is 

designed to examine the relationship between a Complexity Analysis score and response 

characteristics for expanding, stable, and contracting responses to a FAD outbreak. By 

participating in this exercise, the IMT and policy group will be able to practice applying 
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Complexity Analysis to response planning and to gain experience in interpreting the meaning 

and possible response actions associated with a Complexity Analysis score.

Included in this exercise package are:

▪ VS NTEP Complexity Analysis Tool

▪ Sample Complexity Analysis Workshop Situation Manual

Complexity Analysis Game

Exercise Length: Four hours

The Complexity Analysis Game is designed to allow Incident Management Teams (IMT) to gain 

experience in using the Veterinary Services (VS) National Training and Exercise Program’s 

(NTEP) Complexity Analysis Tool. The tool allows an IMT to develop a complexity score for 

an incident using a consistent approach and metrics. Using the tool throughout an incident will 

allow an IMT to identify an expanding, stable, or contracting phase of a response. Understanding 

the shifting phase of a response allows an IMT to conduct future planning more effectively; 

provides an internally consistent metric to describe the severity of an incident at a set point in 

time; provides agency administrators and policy staff a quantitative picture of the incident; and 

supports justification for IMT personnel, supply, and equipment needs. 

Included in this exercise package are:

▪ VS NTEP Complexity Analysis Tool

▪ Complexity Analysis Game Facilitator Instructions

▪ Complexity Analysis Game Player Instructions

▪ Complexity Analysis Game Presentation

▪ Complexity Analysis Game Dice 

▪ Complexity Analysis Tool Scorecard

▪ Complexity Analysis Game Information Card Deck

▪ Complexity Analysis Game ICS 201
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Webinars

The following webinars are available for viewing at 

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/sa_training_and_development/vstep/vst

ep-webinars. Webinars are posted to the webpage about one week following the recording of the 

webinar. Please check the website often to see if new materials have been posted.

Title Date Length

Secure Beef Supply Plan 2/23/2017 Run-time: 51:25

National Training and Exercise Program 3/23/2017 Run-time: 38:21

Secure Poultry Supply Plan 3/23/2017 Run-time: 38:12

VS Train to Contain Biosecurity 3/23/2017 Run-time: 40:48

Secure Pork Supply 3/23/2017 Run-time: 46:53

Secure Milk Supply 3/23/2017 Run-time: 53:42

Update on the Secure Food Supply Plans 3/23/2017 Run-time: 58:33

Management of Permitting Under The Secure Food 

Supply Plans 3/23/2017 Run-time: 1:08:21

VS National Training and Exercise Program webinar 3/23/2017 Run-time: 53:45

VS National Training and Exercise Program's Foreign 

Animal Disease Diagnostician Drills 5/2/2017 Run-time: 59:16

Florida New World Screwworm Incident 5/23/2017 Run-time: 1:10:30

What is FAD Eye? 6/1/2017 Run-time: 28:56

“Map Video: New World Screwworm Investigations in 

Florida from January 2016 – Present” 6/8/2017 Run-time: 0:48

Implementing Enhanced Biosecurity During a FAD 

Outbreak 6/13/2017 Run-time: 1:07:19

National Veterinary Stockpile Update 6/29/2017 Run-time: 57:15

EMRS2Go Mobile Application Webinar 8/22/2017 Run-time: 1:04:23

Foreign Animal Diseases 101 8/29/2017 Run-time: 55:02

Enhanced Biosecurity in Confined Poultry 10/4/2017 Run-time: 57:10

NVS Development of CO2 Whole House Gassing for 

Emergency Depopulation of Poultry 10/12/2017 Run-time: 1:06:21

Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostician Continuing 

Education Opportunities 10/30/2017 Run-time: 28:10

Overview of the Dairy Industry Webinar 11/9/2017 Run-time: 1:11:55

National Biosecurity Webinar on How California is 

Implementing the Secure Food Supply Program 11/16/2017 Run-time: 57:08

EMRS Permitting during a FAD Response 1/11/2018 Run-time: 57:25

Carcass Management Discussion Group for State 

Agricultural and Environmental Officials 1/29/2018 Run-time: 50:08
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Title Date Length

Roles of the Case & Site Manager and Field 

Reimbursement Specialist during an ADR Incident 2/2/2018 Run-time: 58:07

Niche Stakeholder Working Group (NSWG) 2/8/2018 Run-time: 37:24

Incident Command System Planning P 3/19/2018 Run-time: 59:42

Carcass Management Basics 3/19/2018 Run-time: 56:58

Overview of USDA Public Communications Policy -

ARMAR Exercise Review 4/9/2018 Run-time: 36:09

National Veterinary Stockpile Countermeasures 

Resource Ordering 4/19/2018 Run-time: 53:41

Supplemental Cooperative Agreements and Other 

Finance Issues Associated with a FAD Response 4/27/2018 Run-time: 1:01:52

Overview of the Incident Command System Planning 

Cycle 5/7/2018 Run-time: 47:54

Overview of the Incident Command System Planning 

Cycle – Part 3 5/14/2018 Run-time: 55:00

Resource Ordering II – Personnel and Vaccine 5/14/2018 Run-time: 49:03

Heartwater Disease Overview, Etiology and Ecology 5/30/2018 Run-time: 1:11:58

Overview of the Swine Industry 6/20/2018 Run-time: 1:05:33

Strengthening Collaborations for State and Federal One 

Health Approaches to Avian Influenza 7/13/2018 Run-time: 58:56

Operationalizing the Secure Milk Supply Plan: A State's 

Perspective 10/30/2018 Run-time: 1:05:47

African Swine Fever (ASF): Clinical Presentation and 

Diagnosis 11/6/2018 Run-time: 59:20

Phases and Types of an African Swine Fever Outbreak in 

the US 12/4/2018 Run-time: 54:59

African Swine Fever (ASF): Biosecurity 1/31/2019 Run-time: 55:20

Operationalizing the Secure Beef Supply Plan: State's 

Perspective 2/20/2019 Run-time: 57:09

Global African Swine Fever Situation 3/4/2019 Run-time: 1:17:45

National Movement Standstill 3/15/2019 Run-time: 1:17:48

African Swine Fever Messaging and Communication 3/28/2019 Run-time: 53:46

Complexity Analysis and Risk Assessment Tools 4/17/2019 Run-time: 48:35

Secure Pork Supply: How it fits into an African Swine 

Fever Response 5/1/2019 Run-time: 34:06

OIE Global Review of National Contingency Plans 5/1/2019 Run-time: 30:24

New World Screwworm 6/5/2019 Run-time: 1:12:02

Coping with Grief and Loss During an Animal Disease 

Event 6/26/2019 Run-time: 50:04
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Title Date Length

African Swine Fever 3D Considerations 8/13/2019 Run-time: 1:15:07

African Swine Fever Herd Plan 8/14/2019 Run-time: 48:44

EMRS Permitting Gateway 8/27/2019 Run-time: 40:49

African Swine Fever Situation and Critical Biosecurity 9/6/2019 Run-time: 1:07:22

African Swine Fever Modeling and Surveillance 9/12/2019 Run-time: 46:19

Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) Vaccine Prioritization 11/13/2019 Run-time: 1:11:41

Epidemiology 101 (Part 1): Introduction to Epidemiology 

for Non-Epidemiologists 12/1/2019 Run-time: 1:05:39

Approval of Laboratories to Conduct Tests for EIA - VSG 

15201.1 1/3/2020 Run-time: 53:06

Risks Associated with Food Product Disposal and the 

Proximity to Feral Swine and Landfills in CA 2/11/2020 Run-time: 38:10

Alternatives to Wet C&D and Vehicle Decon Lessons 

Learned

2/18/2020 Run-time: 1:01:35

Passive Trapping and Surveillance of New World 

Screwworm 2/19/2020 Run-time: 55:11

Preparing to Implement the Secure Beef Supply Plan 2/20/2020 Run-time: 52:15

Epidemiologic Modeling for the use of FMD Vaccine in 

an Outbreak (April 9, 2020) 4/15/2020 Run-time: 1:12:55

Public Interface Approaches During an FAD (April 14, 

2020) 4/23/2020 Run-time: 1:03:41

FAD Safe – Puerto Rico – Day One 4/24/2020 Run-time: 1:33:10

NVAP Orientation Program 4/24/2020 Run-time: 1:58:56

FAD Safe Webinar – Puerto Rico Day Two 4/24/2020 Run-time: 2:04:10

Basic Principles of Composting and USDA-APHIS 

Protocols for In-house Composting 4/28/2020 Run-time: 1:06:32

Overview of APHIS's National Veterinary Stockpile (MAY 

14, 2020) 5/20/2020 Run-time: 1:08:11

Biosecurity for Healthy Farms and Healthy Agriculture 

(May 21, 2020) 5/21/2020 Run-time: 58:24

Responder and Farmer Wellbeing Before, During and 

After an Animal Health Emergency 5/23/2020 Run-time: 52:52

Utilizing EMRS and the Phone Bank Staff for an Animal 

Emergency 5/26/2020 Run-time: 44:20

Mitigating Environmental Impacts for Mass Mortality 

Disposal Operations ( June 11, 2020) 6/16/2020 Run-time: 56:55

Assessment of Commercially Available ASF Virus RealTime Polymerase Chain Reaction Assays 7/7/2020 Run-time: 40:33
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Title Date Length

Planning and Implementing a Carcass Disposal Site in 

Minnesota 7/29/2020 Run-time: 1:08:47

FAD Training Part 1: Sample Submission Guidelines 8/3/2020 Run-time: 1:28:47

FAD Training Part 2: Classical Swine Fever (1:07:32) 8/13/2020 Run-time: 1:07:33

U.S. Disease Detections: International Impacts Related 

to Exports Work (50:33) 8/19/2020 Run-time: 50:34

African Swine Fever: A Global Update and Approaches to 

Control 8/31/2020 Run-time: 1:22:17

Complexity Analysis and Future Planning (1:08:53) 9/11/2020 Run-time: 1:08:54

EMRS2Go (1:04:37) 9/17/2020 Run-time: 1:04:38

Registered Aquaculture Export Facility (RAEF) Inspection 

Program Part 1 9/29/2020 Run-time: 1:14:34

Registered Aquaculture Export Facility (RAEF) Inspection 

Program Part 2 9/29/2020 Run-time: 1:30:34

Aquaculture Overview, Field Investigations, and 

Aquaculture Trade: Overview of Finfish and CAHPS 10/6/2020 Run-time: 1:51:29

2020 NC - SC LPAI - HPAI AI Event and Lessons Learned 10/6/2020 Run-time: 1:08:20

Aquaculture Overview, Field Investigations, Aquaculture 

Trade: Overview of Crustaceans and Mollusks 10/6/2020 Run-time: 1:53:31

Aquaculture Overview, Field Investigations, and 

Aquaculture Trade: The Essentials 10/9/2020 Run-time: 1:56:49

Overview, VS 5-Year Aquaculture Business Plan and 

Update on the National Aquaculture Health Plan 10/14/2020 Run-time: 1:52:56

Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus 2 (RHDV2) Overview 10/21/2020 Run-time: 1:08:43

Evaluation of Above-Ground Burial Decomposition in a 

Simulated ASF Disease Outbreak 10/21/2020 Run-time: 54:21

Aquaculture Overview, Field Investigations, and 

Aquaculture Trade: International Movement (1:20:56) 10/26/2020 Run-time: 1:20:57

Puerto Rico Tick Surveillance Project 11/24/2020 Run-time: 41:27

Overview of African Horse Sickness 12/1/2020 Run-time: 57:52

Overview of Foot and Mouth Disease Webinar 12/1/2020 Run-time: 1:12:28

Meat Packers Exercise Webinar Series (Part 1): NAMI 12/9/2020 Run-time: 52:36

Meat Packers Exercise Webinar Series (Part 2): NARA 12/9/2020 Run-time: 38:04

Meat Packers Exercise Webinar Series (Part 3): 

Communications During an ASF Outbreak 12/14/2020 Run-time: 46:40

End Use of Carcass Compost from Catastrophic and 

Foreign Animal Disease Events 12/16/2020 Run-time: 1:06:08

Meat Packers Exercise Webinar Series (Part 4): NPIC 12/17/2020 Run-time: 1:37:58
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Title Date Length

APHIS Wildlife Services National Feral Swine Program 

(NFSP) 2/3/2021 Run-time: 58:14

Decontamination and Disposal Capability Gaps 2/8/2021 Run-time: 1:05:39

Overview of the Secure Sheep and Wool Supply (SSWS) 

Plan 3/8/2021 Run-time: 54:23

Carbon Material Acquisition in NC Animal Agriculture 

Emergency Response 3/31/2021 Run-time: 1:07:50

Lumpy Skin Disease Update 4/5/2021 Run-time: 1:20:34

Mi-Co Form Training on Active ASF/CSF Tissue Sample 

Submission Process 4/7/2021 Run-time: 58:46

UK’s Preparedness and Delivery Model for a Highly 

Pathogenic Avian Influenza Outbreak 4/28/2021 Run-time: 1:15:30

NAHLN-FADDL Roles and Responsibilities in a FADI 5/19/2021 Run-time: 51:45

Livestock Mortality Management in Chemical or 

Radiological Incidents 5/31/2021 Run-time: 57:40

Swine Brucellosis Alternative Surveillance – Protecting 

Human and Animal Health 6/7/2021 Run-time: 1:04:11

Where the Rubber Meets the Road Webinar: KS 

Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease Prevalence Project 6/22/2021 Run-time: 47:54

Title: Wild Bird Movements and AI Viruses -

Relationships at the Wild-Domestic Bird Interface 8/19/2021 Run-time: 2:29:57

Avian Influenza in Wild Birds 8/19/2021 Run-time: 2:25:49

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in North American 

Wild Birds 8/19/2021 Run-time: 2:37:16

Where the Rubber Meets the Road Webinar: Grassroots 

Microgrant Project by Dr. Schneider 8/26/2021 Run-time: 38:37

Experiences with African Swine Fever in wild boar and 

domestic swine in Germany 9/1/2021 Run-time: 53:39

Developing New Animal Mortality Compost SMEs, 

Kansas Training 9/1/2021 Run-time: 51:50

Where the Rubber Meets the Road: Techniques for 

Handling Poultry 9/29/2021 Run-time: 43:32

Incident Management Planning Cycle Tactics Meeting 11/5/2021 Run-time: 55:53

U.S. Animal Agriculture Industry's FMD Communications 

Response Mission

11/9/2021 Run-time: 1:01:07

Developing, Refining and Exercising the Iowa Emergency 

FMD Vaccination Plan 2/10/2022 Run-time: 36:43
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Federal Resources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Emergency Partners Information Connection 

(EPIC)

https://emergency.cdc.gov/epic/index.asp

CDC Emergency Planners and Responders

https://emergency.cdc.gov/planners-responders.asp

CDC Emergency Preparedness and Response

https://emergency.cdc.gov/

CDC Healthy People, Healthy Pets

https://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/

CDC One Health

https://www.cdc.gov/onehealth/

CDC One Health in Action

https://www.cdc.gov/onehealth/in-action/index.html

CDC Solve the Outbreak Game

https://www.cdc.gov/mobile/applications/sto/sto-web.html

Department of Homeland Security Center for Domestic Preparedness

https://cdp.dhs.gov/

Emergency Management Response System (EMRS) Production Website

https://emrs2.aphis.usda.gov

EMRS Training Website

https://emrs2t.aphis.usda.gov

Federal Emergency Management Agency Emergency Management Institute

https://training.fema.gov/emi.aspx

Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostician Continuing Education Program

http://www.usdatraining.com/

FAD Preparedness and Response Plan (PReP) 

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/emergency-management/fadprep/index 

National Animal Health Emergency Management System (NAHEMS) 

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/emergencymanagement/ct_nahems_em_guidelines

National Animal Health Laboratory Network

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/lab-info-services/nahln/

National Veterinary Services Laboratories

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/lab-infoservices/sa_about_nvsl/ct_about_nvsl
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National Veterinary Stockpile (NVS) 

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/emergency-management/nvs

United States Department of Agriculture

https://www.usda.gov

United States Forest Service Training 

https://www.fs.fed.us/managing-land/fire/training

USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)

https://www.aphis.usda.gov

USDA APHIS Animal Care

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalwelfare/usda-animal-care-overview

USDA APHIS Emergency Management, Safety, and Security Division (EMSSD) 

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/emergencyresponse/Emergency_Management

USDA APHIS Legislative and Public Affairs (LPA) 

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/banner/contactus/sa_aphis_contacts/contact_lpa

USDA APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ)

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth

USDA APHIS Veterinary Services (VS)

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth

USDA APHIS VS Carcass Management – Planning and Training

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/emergency-management/carcassmanagement/carcass-planning-training/carcass-disposal-planning-training

USDA APHIS VS National Preparedness and Incident Coordination Center (NPIC)

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/emergency-management

USDA APHIS VS National Training and Exercise Program (NTEP)

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/sa_training_and_development/vstep/vst

ep-webinars

USDA APHIS VS One Health 

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/SA_One_Health

USDA APHIS VS Training

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/training-and-development

USDA APHIS VS Program Samples Shipping Course

http://www.usdatraining.com/

USDA APHIS Wildlife Services

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/wildlifedamage/SA_Program_Overview

Zoonoses & One Health Updates (ZOHU) Calls

https://www.cdc.gov/onehealth/zohu/index.html
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State, Academic, and Trade Association 

Resources

California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) 

www.cdfa.ca.gov

Extension Disaster Education Network

https://extensiondisaster.net/

Institute for Infectious Animal Diseases

https://iiad.tamu.edu/

Iowa State University Center for Food Security and Public Health (CFSPH) 

http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/

Kansas State University Biosecurity Research Institute

http://www.bri.k-state.edu/

Kansas State University National Agricultural Biosecurity Center

http://www.k-state.edu/nabc/

Louisiana State University National Center for Biomedical Research and Training

https://www.ncbrt.lsu.edu/

Multi-State Partnership for Security in Agriculture (MSPSA) 

Ms. Lucia Hunt: lucia.hunt@state.mn.us

National Assembly of State Animal Health Officials (NASAHO) 

https://www.usaha.org/federal-and-state-animal-health

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

http://www.beefusa.org/

National Chicken Council

http://www.nationalchickencouncil.org/

National Pork Board

http://www.pork.org/

North American Meat Institute

https://www.meatinstitute.org/

North American Renderers Association

https://nara.org/

National Turkey Federation

http://www.eatturkey.com/

New England States Animal Agricultural Security Alliance (NESAASA) 

Ms. Carrie Sexton: carry.shulock-sexton@state.ma.us

Southern Agriculture & Animal Disaster Response Alliance (SAADRA) 

Dr. Kathryn MacDonald: kmacdo2@clemson.edu
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State and Territory Emergency Management Agencies

https://www.fema.gov/locations

United Egg Producers

http://www.unitedegg.org/